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LRN vs. LOPE: Which Stock Is the Better Value Option?

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Investors interested in stocks from the Schools sector have probably already heard of K12 (LRN - Free Report) and Grand Canyon Education (LOPE - Free Report) . But which of these two stocks is more attractive to value investors? We'll need to take a closer look to find out.

We have found that the best way to discover great value opportunities is to pair a strong Zacks Rank with a great grade in the Value category of our Style Scores system. The Zacks Rank favors stocks with strong earnings estimate revision trends, and our Style Scores highlight companies with specific traits.

Right now, K12 is sporting a Zacks Rank of #1 (Strong Buy), while Grand Canyon Education has a Zacks Rank of #2 (Buy). This system places an emphasis on companies that have seen positive earnings estimate revisions, so investors should feel comfortable knowing that LRN is likely seeing its earnings outlook improve to a greater extent. However, value investors will care about much more than just this.

Value investors are also interested in a number of tried-and-true valuation metrics that help show when a company is undervalued at its current share price levels.

The Value category of the Style Scores system identifies undervalued companies by looking at a number of key metrics. These include the long-favored P/E ratio, P/S ratio, earnings yield, cash flow per share, and a variety of other fundamentals that help us determine a company's fair value.

LRN currently has a forward P/E ratio of 13.89, while LOPE has a forward P/E of 17.07. We also note that LRN has a PEG ratio of 0.69. This popular figure is similar to the widely-used P/E ratio, but the PEG ratio also considers a company's expected EPS growth rate. LOPE currently has a PEG ratio of 1.14.

Another notable valuation metric for LRN is its P/B ratio of 2.52. The P/B is a method of comparing a stock's market value to its book value, which is defined as total assets minus total liabilities. By comparison, LOPE has a P/B of 6.08.

These metrics, and several others, help LRN earn a Value grade of B, while LOPE has been given a Value grade of C.

LRN has seen stronger estimate revision activity and sports more attractive valuation metrics than LOPE, so it seems like value investors will conclude that LRN is the superior option right now.


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